In the Depths of the Night
by angel-flame
Summary: The League face a new mission and familiar faces ... but when one of Sawyer's friends disappears, they understimate how far he will go ... RR please!
1. Default Chapter

Author's note: Well, I've REALLY been inspired; here is the first chapter already! This is the chapter where I do my "house-keeping"; ie I set up the beginnings of the story. I promise this slow pace won't go on for much longer ... but believe me it's better this way! 
    
    Drowchild: lol! I wrote it =)
    
    April: Thanks =) Hope the fic is up to your expectations! 
    
    Andrea: Lots of Tom? You betcha! Tom-angst here we come ... *laughs* 
    
    Tom's girl 4ever: Here's the fic! =) I take it from your name you're a Tom fan? 
    
    izzygirlxp: Thanks =) Lol Skinner is here ... he's just not easy to see! ... damn that was a bad pun ... No, I don't think it's weird to think an invisible man is hot ... especially one like Skinner! 
    
    Clez: =) Hope you like it ... and thanks for the help with italics – yours truly is a writer, not a technologically expert writer *laughs* - not meant in a bad way, of course. I just ... oh damnit I'm confused! Anyway – thanks! 
    
    Sethoz: Maths vs LXG ... *thinks* hard choice!! Mind you my maths teacher wasn't impressed ... *laughs* Hope you like the fic ... 

Chapter 1: Aftermath 

They met on the snow outside the smoking ruins of M's fortress; Sawyer, sporting bruises and some minor cuts, and Skinner barely conscious from his burns – Nemo had carried him out – but with the others relatively unscathed by the fight. 

Jekyll examined the group. "Where is Quatermain?" he said, asking the question no one else dared to. 

"He's dead," Sawyer said, abruptly. "M stabbed him in the back." His control was wavering, but he held himself tall. "Quartermain is dead." _I won't cry_, he told himself firmly. _I won't cry... don't cry, Sawyer, whatever you do DON'T start crying! _

Jekyll nodded slowly, staring at the ground. Nemo bowed his head and placed his hand on his chest, murmuring a prayer to Kali, Goddess of Death, to keep Quatermain safe. Mina's expression barely changed – and Sawyer found himself irritated by this. _Does she not care?_ he wondered angrily. _Can she not even pretend to be upset?_

Nemo gave a quick order to three of his crew, who walked quickly back towards the fortress. "They will retrieve his body," he told the rest of the League. "He should be buried in Africa, where his heart lay." 

Mina nodded. "Very good," she said quietly. Sawyer repressed a sigh of frustration – did she really not care? 

Mina looked over at Sawyer suddenly, and Sawyer hoped his thoughts weren't evident on his face. However, Mina gave no indication of having guessed what Sawyer thought of her. Instead, she said calmly: "Let us take Mr Skinner to the Nautilus. He needs medical attention." 

Sawyer resisted the urge to snap "You don't think?!" at her, instead leaning over and picking Skinner up as gently as possible and starting out towards the Nautilus. Nemo, Jekyll, and Nemo's crew went ahead, but Mina walked a little slower, and measured her pace to that of Sawyer, burdened by Skinner. 

"You are angry at me, Mr Sawyer," she stated softly. Tom didn't reply – he didn't know how to reply. "You think I should react to Mr Q's death," she continued. She looked at him now, trying to catch his eyes. Tom, however, kept his gaze resolutely on the ground in front of him, concentrating – or pretending to – on keeping Skinner from slipping off his shoulder as they trudged through the snow. 

"What would you like me to do?" Mina asked suddenly, her voice a little angry. "Weep? Tear out my hair? Collapse into hysterics to prove that I am upset? Do I look like the type of woman who has hysterical fits?" 

Tom allowed himself a response. "No." It came out surlier than he meant it too. Mina nodded slowly. 

"Thank you Mr Sawyer," she said, as she quickened her pace a little and walked away from him. 

Sawyer paused in his strides. He didn't know why she had thanked him, or what he had done. He put the matter from his mind, however, as he felt Skinner start to slip off his shoulder. Taking a firm hold of the coat Nemo had wrapped around the invisible man, Sawyer lifted Skinner back to a more secure position, and walked on towards the Nautilus. 

*          *          *          

The hot sun beat down on them as they stood by the small mound of earth and stone that marked the final resting place of Allan Quartermain. The air was heavy, though whether a storm was coming, or whether this was simply the depression of the League, Tom didn't know. 

"So what now?" Jekyll asked. Tom felt an almost overwhelming urge to yell at the man, to berate him for saying "What now?" in such a laidback fashion when they were standing over the grave of their leader ... and their friend. However, he restrained the urge. He knew that the rest of the League still regarded him as a child – even though he was anything but – and such an outburst would only confirm their belief further. 

Nemo – as always – had an answer: "I would welcome you all onto the Nautilus," he said quietly, "if you were to take up the invitation." 

Jekyll nodded, and Skinner too seemed happy with this arrangement. "We've been hiding for far too long," Mina murmured. Tom nodded. Nemo let a ghost of a smile onto his lips. 

"Then it is settled." 

Nemo bowed his head in a last farewell, then moved away from the grave. Skinner and Jekyll moved off quietly; but Mina waited an instant longer, looking quietly at the headstone, before she too moved away after the others. 

Sawyer waited till they had moved away. He had unfinished business ... He knelt down by the mound of earth, holding the Winchester in his hands, before carefully placing it on top of the grave. 

He wanted to say _Thanks for helping me ... for helping the "boy" find his place ... Thanks for being the father I never had_ but all that came out was a quiet "Thanks." 

Shaking his head to free his eyes of the tears, Sawyer moved after the others. To his surprise, Mina had waited for him. She said nothing, nor did he try to start a conversation ... but he was glad of her company. 

*          *          *

For a month, the Nautilus wandered aimlessly around the Seven Seas of the world; Nemo taking pleasure in showing his passengers – some of whom had rarely traveled outside their own home country – the delights of the farthest regions of the world. Sawyer had lived in America for his entire life before he met the League, and he took great delight in seeing the attractions of places, some of which he had never even heard of before. 

Skinner too had never left his home country until the League called him, but he was less interested in scenery than in recovering from the wounds that had been inflicted on him in saving Sawyer's life. He spent the first two weeks still in the medical bay – even spending time in there on the way to Quartermain's burial – recovering before Mina pronounced him well enough to leave. Skinner's first action – predictably – was to pinch Mina's bottom, before he went to the top of the Nautilus, trying to catch Sawyer. He had found the young man, standing on the conning tower, staring out to sea. 

To the rest of the League, Sawyer seemed fine – a little sad little from Allan's death – but the speed of his recovery had been remarkable, given his relationship with Allan. 

This image was dispelled one night when Mina – who had been testing a sample in the laboratory – was walking back to her rooms; she happened to walk past Sawyer's room. 

There was a cry from inside: "Huck! Huck! Oh God, no..." 

Mina stopped by the door, momentarily unsure of what to do. Then, acting on instinct, she opened the door. 

Tom was lying on the bed, clearly in the grip of a nightmare. Mina paused, her face creased with concern. Tom thrashed about on the bed; his eyes closed and sweat pouring down his face, his mouth open as he begged with his unseen companion. 

"Huck ... don't die – you can't die," Tom begged. Mina sat on the bed beside him, taking his hand in hers. 

"Tom," she said softly. "Tom ... can you hear me?" 

The boy made no response to her, continuing to beg at his unseen friend. 

"Mr Sawyer," Mina said sharply, shaking his shoulder hard. "Wake up!" 

Tom's eyes snapped open, and focused on Mina. "Mina ... what the..." 

"You were having a nightmare," Mina told him, as he seemed unaware of this fact. Tom nodded slowly, and made to sit up. He seemed to remember his nightmare, for he looked sharply at Mina, and asked: 

"Did you hear what I was saying?" 

Mina paused. "Yes." 

Tom nodded slowly ... "Huck ... he was my best friend." He didn't continue; didn't tell her what had happened to Huck ... he assumed that would be self-explanatory, if she really had heard what he said while asleep. "Promise you won't say anything about this – to anyone." His eyes begged her. "Please." 

"Very well, Mr Sawyer. But ... if there is anything you would like to talk about..." 

"No. Thank you Mina, but ... no." 

Mina half-smiled. "As you wish, Mr Sawyer. I will leave you now." She paused on the threshold of the door: "Tom?" 

He looked up. "Yes?" 

"Just remember ... we are your friends, and we always will be. Whenever you feel like talking..." 

"Thank you Mina," he said. "But this ... it's personal." 

She nodded, and smiled. "I understand. Good night." She closed the door softly. 

Tom buried his head in his hands. Part of him wanted to run after Mina, to spill his guts to her and beg her to tell him that everything was OK ... but perhaps it was his pride that kept him where he was. _My damn pride, _he thought wryly, before his face sobered. _The same pride that got Huck killed … _

This was not the first night he had had this nightmare – it was a regular visitor during his hours of rest, and recently had become a frequent visitor even during his waking hours after the death of Quartermain. It haunted him ... the image of Huck, lying on the ground coughing up his life's blood from a bullet wound to his lung; Tom holding him but unable to stem the bleeding or to save the friend he had thrust into danger – the friend who had trusted him. 

_Trust,_ Tom thought angrily. _Everyone who trusts me ends up dead or heartbroken. _His mind flashed back to Becky Thatcher ... her face – smiling through the tears – as she bid the two secret service agents farewell – the misery in her eyes when Tom had broken the news to her, followed by the blind anger and hurt. "Get out!" she had screamed, beating at Tom with her fists. He had stood there, letting her take her anger and pain out on him, until she burst into tears and clung to him for support. 

Then there was Quartermain ... in turning to take out Sanderson Reed as M's invisible henchman held Sawyer hostage with a knife at his throat, Quartermain had laid his back open to his enemy, who had seized this chance, and plunged a knife between Quartermain's shoulder blades. Tom had shot M, but too late; his triumph was lost in the sadness of Allan's death. 

_Why is everyone I care about destined to die, betrayed by me?_ Sawyer wondered angrily, slamming his fist against the wall. 

His mind went back to his conversation with Mina ... ' "Whenever you feel like talking..." ' 

_You know, Mina ..._ Tom thought, _there are some things that cannot be talked about and made right – some things that friends cannot help you with_

He rolled over and went back to sleep ... 'to sleep, perchance to dream' (1), he thought with a sigh – there would be no peaceful sleep for Thomas Sawyer this night. 

*          *          *

(1) quote from _Hamlet_, by William Shakespeare 

There you have it, chapter 1. More is on its way ... this chapter doesn't really go anywhere, I know. But bear with me, there's going to be LOTS of action, perhaps a little romance, and lots of Tom-angst soon! 

Please leave a review ... I promise I won't bite! *is reminded of funny signature line*: "You want a piece of me? ... OK – but just a nibble!" ... *ahem* anyway. 


	2. Land Of Nightmares

Author's note: Sorry for the delay in updating … first I had writer's block, and now someone I know has fallen sick … so I'm a little distracted.

Anyway, in this chapter we arrive at the 'Land of the Free' …

Chapter 2: Land of Nightmares

Tom turned fitfully in his sleep, sweat pouring down his face. He was dreaming – again – of Huck's death; seeing it in short bursts, crying out against it.

Rain … sheet after sheet poured from the sky, running down roofs and cascading onto the sidewalk; drenching the two American agents as they stood huddled, waiting for their quarry …

The Phantom; laughing as he gazed at the two agents, helpless and unarmed in front of him ...

"Who's it to be?" …

"Noooo!" Huck's yell … reverberating around the room … charging towards the Phantom …

A gunshot …

Sawyer woke with a start, breathing heavily. He pushed the hair out of his eyes, realising what had woken him up – "Who left the damn blinds open?" he muttered as he moved to close them. He pulled on his waistcoat, ran a hand through his hair, and moved towards the door even as one of Nemo's crewmen knocked.

"Excuse me," the man called, "but breakfast is ready."

Tom opened the door. "Thanks; I'm going there now."

The rest of the League – as usual – had been waiting for Sawyer for a few minutes when he arrived, mumbling an apology.

"Now that Mr Sawyer has decided to join us," Jekyll said, with a slight hint of irony, "we should get down to business."

Sawyer looked up, surprised. "Business?"

"Aye," Skinner said, through his breakfast. "It's not all sightseeing; being in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen!"

"Shut up, Skinner," Sawyer said, in no mood for the invisible man's antics. "What business is this?"

It was Nemo that replied to him. "Earlier this morning, I received a telegram from the American Secret Service asking for our aid. They request –"

"Whoa," Sawyer said, holding up a hand. "The American Secret Service?" Since when do they call for help? he wondered.

"Yes. It seems that there has been an attack in New York city, which has resulted in many civilian casualties."

"What kind of attack?" Skinner asked. He too – Tom noted – had not been briefed about this before coming to the dining room, but Mina and Jekyll looked like they knew exactly what was going on. Sawyer set this fact aside for later consideration – but why does half the League find out before the other half? he wondered silently. He dragged his mind back to the problem at hand.

Jekyll shook his head. "That's the problem – they don't know who – or what – the attackers were. But whoever they are, they killed 48 people." He dropped a newspaper clipping on the table and pushed it towards Sawyer. "This photo was in a newspaper this morning."

Sawyer felt nauseated. The photo showed the bodies of some of the victims; they had been brutally stabbed and their bodies slashed repeatedly with a knife so that their faces and hands were a bloody mess. He pushed the photo away. Pushing his nausea down, he asked, "When did this happen?"

"Two days ago. The Nautilus has set a new course; I hope that we will reach New York within a week."

"A week!" Sawyer exclaimed, and the League turned to face him. "But … there are people dying; we have to stop this! There could be more attacks before we get there."

"I am aware of that, Mr Sawyer, but I cannot push the Nautilus any harder than she is already being pushed." The Indian captain got to his feet. "You must be patient. I understand that this is a hard time for you, but –"

Tom's resolve – I will not loose my temper at them; I won't let them see my anger­ – snapped. "What would you know about it?" he yelled. "Nothing! You have no idea what kind of time this is for me!" He stormed out of the room.

Skinner let out a short laugh. "Well that was sudden."

"Be quiet, Skinner," Mina said firmly. She got up to follow Sawyer, but Jekyll stopped her.

"Mina – let him be," Jekyll said. "He needs time – this has been harder on him than any of us realised."

Mina fumed inwardly – what does he know about Sawyer? – but held her outward face calm. It would not do for her too to loose control. "I will check on him later," she said quietly. "The meeting is closed."

Sawyer would have preferred to have gone to the conning tower, but the Nautilus being about half a mile under the surface of the ocean made this a difficult proposition; so he settled for his cabin. He locked the door with a sigh, and sat on the bed. Damn, Sawyer, what is wrong with you? he wondered. He knew the answer – guilt. Guilt for causing all those deaths, for bringing so much heartbreak …

A knock on the door disturbed him. "Sawyer?" called Skinner. "You in there?"

Sawyer ignored him. He didn't feel like talking.

"Sawyer?" Skinner called again. "I know you're in there, mate." He waited, but Sawyer didn't reply. Skinner sighed. "Fine. Look, when you want to talk …"

Sawyer heard footsteps as Skinner walked away; waiting a few seconds before giving vent to his anger and slamming his fist down on the table. Why do they all assume I want to talk? he wondered angrily. I don't want to talk about this …

His anger subsided slowly as he remembered that the League were his friends … they only want to help, said the reasonable part of his mind.

But they can't, he thought. They can't help me … because I don't want them to.

Sawyer remained in his cabin for most of the voyage, except when the Nautilus surfaced and he went to the conning tower to practise his shooting. He was getting scarily good at it, Skinner reflected one day as he watched Sawyer. "You know," Skinner said, walking towards Tom, "you're really very good." Tom whirled around in alarm, before realising that it was just Skinner. He shook his head, turning back to the horizon, calling, "_Salau!_" A buoy landed a few hundred yards away in the water; Sawyer took careful aim and fired. Skinner blinked; when he looked back where the buoy had been there was nothing. "Like I said …" he laughed. "What do you want, Skinner?" Sawyer asked, reloading. Skinner's face fell. _Why does the boy have to be so damn impatient?_ "Can't two friends have a casual conversation?" he asked nervously. Sawyer slammed the butt of the gun onto the deck. "Skinner, I know they sent you to check up on me. I'm not stupid. Look, I'm fine. I don't want to talk about _anything_, get it? There's nothing wrong with me." Skinner stepped backwards. "All right, Sawyer," he said, raising his hands as a gesture of surrender. "You win." He backed away towards the hatch. "I'll leave you alone …" he said, stating the obvious in case Sawyer changed his mind. "Fine," Sawyer said abruptly. "_Salau!_" Skinner turned, shaking his head, and left the conning tower. Only a day later they caught their first glimpse of the "Land of the Free" … 

A/N: Comments/Reviews please!! :-) 


	3. Terror Strikes

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay! I really am! OK, here it is, Part 3 of In The Depths of the Night. Over the last few weeks I've worked out a basic chapter plan … before I knew where I wanted to end up – i.e., what characters and their "condition" at the end – but didn't have a clue how to get there … now I do :-) Now that I have finished my troublesome Xmen fic, hopefully I'll be able to devote more time to this and to Sullied Waters, as well as my SWAT fic What Was Once. 

**Warning** This chapter contains some descriptions of some rather violent stuff … if you don't like it, don't read it. 

******************************
    
    Chapter 3 : Terror Strikes 

It was a clear, sunny day in New York city when the Nautilus docked on the western side of Manhatten Island, and the League disembarked. 

Skinner looked around curiously. The rest of the League seemed spellbound by the bustling city in front of them. "Well," he said at last, "it's not _that_ big." 

Sawyer rolled his eyes. His mood had improved significantly since the incident at dinner a week before, but he still brooded over it, and Mina was sure that he saw it as a sign that the League had no faith in his strength. 

Jekyll noticed a thin, tired-looking man walking towards them, and alerted the rest of the League to his presence. Tom's eyes widened in shock. "Alan Mortimer," he said slowly, a look of surprise and confusion on his face. 

"Hello Tom," Mortimer said, greeting the agent with obvious pleasure. "Great to see you again." 

"Yeah, uh … great to see you too, but … didn't you …" 

The think man's eyes twinkled as he watched Sawyer. "Retire?" he finished helpfully. 

"Yeah," Tom said. 

Alan smiled. "I returned to work a few weeks after you left to follow the Fantom." He lowered his voice, and leaned close to Sawyer. "You get him?" 

Tom nodded. "Yeah." 

Mortimer nodded, and clapped him on the shoulder. "Well done." He stepped back and looked at the rest of the League. 

"Are you going to introduce me?" 

Sawyer smiled, and obligied. "Alan Mortimer, this is Dr Henry Jekyll, Mr Rodney Skinner, Captain Nemo, and Mrs Wilhemina Harker." 

"I'm with the Secret Service," Alan explained. "Agent Sawyer and I worked together before I retired. I was reinstated a week ago. Well – if you'd like to follow me, I will take you to our headquarters and fill you in on the details." He gestured towards the carriage behind him. 

The League got into the coach, and Alan began to explain. 

"The attacks started a week ago. 48 people died in that attack. It occurred at night, in some of the back alleys of the city. They were – horrific." He licked his ashen lips at the remembrace. "People stabbed and mutilated. And they have been getting worse over the last week. Sometimes … the corpses are cut into pieces and the pieces scattered. 

"We do not know who is behind these attacks, or what their purpose is. No demands have been made, no one has claimed responsibility. The attacks have not happened near any major sites. No robberies have been reported. Only civilians have been killed; no political, religious, or social leaders. 

"This is where you come in. The government hopes that with your – singular abilities you will be able to find those responsible for the attacks and bring them to a halt." 

"And how far is the Government willling to support us?" Mina asked softly. "In my experience, Governments often expect others to solve their problems but turn on them in the aftermath." 

"What she means," Nemo said, picking up seamlessly where Mina had ended, and not giving Mortimer a chance to reply, "is, will the Government authorise us to harm or kill those responsible and anyone found to be related to these attacks?" 

"The government will support your efforts as long as innocent blood is not shed by you," Mortimer said, a flash of fire in his eyes. "They want this threat dealt with. We do not have the expertise or manpower. Therefore, we require assistance. You – as the League – are the best 'solution'. The American government will not condemn you for killing the miscreants who have been plaguing the streets, I can assure you of that." 

There was an uncomfortable silence following Mortimer's angry words. The young man was the first to break it. 

"I'm sorry for loosing my temper at you like that, ma'am," he said apologetically to Mina. "You had every right to ask that question. I apologise to you too, Captain." 

"No apology is necessary, Mr Mortimer," Captain Nemo told him gravely. "We understand that the last week must have been very hard on you." 

Mortimer nodded, trying to throw off his gloom with a brittle laugh. "It certainly has been." 

Tom leant over, and touched his friend on the shoulder. "Alan? How bad is it?" 

Alan looked at him, pain and fear in his eyes. He swallowed nervously. "It's getting worse, Tom. Every night … sometimes I can hear the screams of the dying. I can't go out to help them because then I would be killed too. Last night – last night they killed a four month old baby. Tore her throat out and trampled on her. I heard them do it. I couldn't do a thing. Her mother bleed to death a few metres from her baby." He passed a hand over his eyes and forced himself to breathe deeply in an effort to compose himself. "Tom … you have to stop this. People are starting to flee the city. These – monsters are now breaking into people's houses. You have to stop this, and soon." 

Tom put one hand on Alan's shoulder in an attempt at reassurance. "We'll find them," he vowed, his voice hard as stone, "and when we do … They won't be coming back." 

The carriage continued on through the streets … 

******************************

Their visit to the headquarters was swift and succinct. In fifteen minutes they had been briefed on the situation, before being once again assured of the Government's complete faith in and support of them, and then they were returned to the Nautilus. 

An emergency meeting was begun in the dining room to discuss the information they had received and their plan of attack. 

"I believe a brief synopis of the information received from the Secret Service is in order," Nemo stated, "to make sure that we all had the same understanding." 

He glanced around the table, and upon seeing no signs of dissent, began his synopis. 

"To the best of our knowledge, no one knows exactly who these attackers are," Nemo began. 

"Well," Skinner said, with a wry grin, "no one who's talking, anyway. Afterall, dead bodies don't exactly –" 

"And no one," Nemo continued loudly with a glare at Skinner, "knows what is motivating them to carry out these attacks. Their headquarters is unknown, their leaders are unknown. We cannot even be certain it is knives they are using." 

"You want to get to the positive points some time this year, mate?" Skinner said, with a laugh that he hoped disguised the nervous edge to his voice. 

"All that we do know is that they attack brutally and unmercifully," Mina said. "They do not appear to be vampiric, as the corpses show no signs of blood-sucking. The marks indicate use of knives, teeth, and – other instruments. Possibly claws." 

She let the implication of her words sink in. 

"Meaning we could be dealing with …" Jekyll let his voice trail off as he considered the possibility in front of him. 

"What?" asked Sawyer abruptly. He didn't have the faintest idea what Mina and Jekyll were talking about, and from the sounds he was making, neither did Skinner. Even Nemo appeared non-plused, stating quietly: 

"What does this mean, Mrs Harker? What creatures could we be dealing with." 

"A creature so foul it pollutes the very ground it stands on." 

"A werewolf?" Sawyer guessed. He didn't relaly believe in them, but … he reminded himself sharply that he was sitting at a table with an invisible man, a vampire, and a man-turned-monster. Suddenly, he relflected, werewolves didn't sound quite so unlikely. 

Mina shook her head. "No. These creatures are … they are rejects. Failures of an experiment so dangerous governments round the world spurned its use." She turned away, her face pale. 

Jekyll took up the story. "The story goes that fifty years ago, a French nobleman started to experiment with immortality. He had heard the stories of men like Dorian Gray, and decided to see if they could be true. His methods of experimentation have never been documented, though they are supposed to have been particulary gruesome, but he discovered that for those compatible, immortality was possible. However, for those not compatible, the Change brought about deformation of the body and spirit resulting in half-men." He cleared his throat. "Mina and I believe that these attacks were commited by half-men. The Eternal Damned, they are called. They are immortal, to be sure, but … the price for them is the loss of their soul. They are hardened killing machines, with a sadistic streak born of their maker. They have claws – another part of the Change." He sat down with a sigh. "This is what we are up against." 

The silence weighted heavily on them all. Sawyer felt nauseated and horrified at the threat facing them. He wondered who could possibly _do_ something like that to another person. 

"Well," Skinner said, attempting to lighten the mood, "anyone else wishing we'd stayed on the sight-seeing trip? I know," he continued hastily as Mina opened her mouth to rebuke him, "bad Mr Skinner, you shouldn't joke about this. Mina love, I hate this as much as you do, and I'm just as determined to find these – these half-men, and send 'em into the oblivion they belong in." 

Sawyer looked up, smiling despite himself at Skinner's impassioned speech. "Well," Jekyll remarked, "our thief has a conscience." 

"Yeah," Skinner said, a faint note of antagonism in his voice, "don't you forget it." 

Sawyer wasn't surprised. Before the attack on M's "summer retreat", Tom had thought of Skinner as a selfish, arrogant man with no regard for anything other than the safety of his own skin. However, after Skinner had taken out the flame thrower who had been about to reduce Tom to ashes, Sawyer's estimation of the man had changed drastically. He realised that Skinner really did care about the rest of the League, he just didn't know how to show it – so he resorted to his usual stratagem of joking and making light of every situation. He cared deeply for Mina – more than she would ever know. Tom had sat with Skinner while he was gripped by delirium in the aftermath of the attack, and had heard Skinner pour out his secrets, unable to leave due to the tight grip the invalid had on Tom's wrist. 

He liked and respected Nemo. He had respected Quartermain. He saw Jekyll as a friend. He loved Mina. 

He was human, and possessed human emotions. He had locked them away in a corner of his mind because he could not handle them, he was unused to them. Sawyer suspected that he would always act like this – joking, laughing, teasing – because he knew no other way to act. 

"So," Tom said, "how do we stop them?" 

Mina smiled briefly at the American's enthusiasm. "They can only be destroyed when their leader – who they have bound their life and soul to – is destroyed. When that happens, they drop dead. Their leader will be a genuine immortal, not a half-man." 

"So how do we destroy a genuine immortal?" Nemo asked. 

"I don't know," Mina replied. "No one does." 

There was a moment's heavy silence, before Tom spoke slowly: "So the way I see it is – we are up against an army of monster-like creatures that are immortal but can be killed. The only way to kill them is to kill their leader, but no one knows how to do this. Correct?" 

"It would appear that way, Mr Sawyer," Mina affirmed. 

Tom sat back. _Remind me why I signed up for this,_ he thought wryly. "So what do we do?" 

"We track them," Jekyll replied. "We follow them to their base and from there attempt to find their leader." 

"And find out how to kill him, right?" Skinner said. 

Mina nodded. "Yes. Tonight." 

Tom looked up in surprise, then nodded. "Yes … this terror has gone on long enough." 

******************************

Night fell over the city, blanketing it in a layer of blackness. The streets were deserted; the only people out were the League. A few of Nemo's crewmen had come with them. 

They headed towards the area where most of the attacks had been centred, figuring that the attackers were likely to return there. 

The League as a whole was on the alert. None of them knew where attack might come from next. 

Sawyer – walking at the back of the group – stumbled occasionally over his feet. He had a bad headache; he had a feeling that it was connected with the nightmares he had again suffered from the previous night. Suddenly the world about him span dizzyingly, and he sank to his knees with a hoarse cry, head in his hands. 

The rest of the League turned in alarm to see their young friend crouched on the ground, clutching his head, and evidently in pain. Mina walked quickly to his side with Jekyll; they crouched on either side of him. 

"Tom?" Mina said. "What is it?" 

There was no response from the stricken young agent. Jekyll put his arm against Tom's forehead. "He's not feverish," he reported. "Nemo – can some of your men take him back to the Nautilus?" 

Nemo nodded, and gave orders to his crewmen. 

"Tell me to put him to bed in the medical bay, and give him some laudanum. Watch him, and if he has a seizure stop him hurting himself, but don't hold him down." For a second Jekyll considered going back with Tom, but then realised that the League would need Hyde. 

The crewmen moved off into the night carrying Sawyer, back towards the Nautilus. 

The rest of the League patrolled the area for two hours, before hearing screaming. As one, they ran towards the origin of the sound. Rounding a corner they came face-to-face with the half-men. 

They were truly horrific, bodies deformed, claws instead of hands. Fifteen of them stood in the alley. They had found three young prostitutes, and were in the process of ripping their bodies apart. The road and walls of surrounding building were coveredin the blood of the three girls. 

The half-men looked up as the League rounded the corner. One – their leader – snarled at the League, and motioned his soldiers forward. 

The battle began. 

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Author's Note: I'll update again in a few days, I promise! 

Review!! Please :-) 


	4. Faces From The Past

Author's Note: Here's chapter 4! :-) Lotsa Tom angst in this chapter … I won't update until at least next Thursday, as I am going on holidays :-) 

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Chapter 4: Faces From The Past 

Tom woke the following morning, his head spinning slightly. As he raised a hand to his aching head, he looked about him, and tried to gain his bearings. _Where am I?_ he wondered, before realisation hit him. _The medical bays! But how … why … _

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, before reeling as another wave of dizziness assaulted him. He fell back onto the bed, clutching his head again. 

He lay there, curled up, until the dizziness passed, leaving him nauseous and weak. He managed to stumble to a sink before loosing the contents of his stomach. The vomiting left him weaker, and for a time he lay on the floor, shaking and dry retching. 

Eventually, the feeling passed and he managed to clamber back to his feet. He clutched the bench for support, but eventually managed to make his legs hold him up without support. 

_What the hell did I drink?_ was his first thought. He shook his head, trying to clear the fog from his mind. He shuddered as memories assaulted him … 

_" … deformation of the body and spirit resulting in half-men … " _

_" … this terror has gone on long enough … "_

_Walking through the streets … _

_" … Tom, are you all right? … " _

_What the hell happened to me?_ he wondered. _What did I do? Where did the headache come from? _

He was unable to find any satisfactory answer to his questions before another – more pressing – question came to mind: 

_Where are the others? _

Tom knew that he hadn't exactly been quiet when he woke, and in any case when there were patients in the medical bay, Mina or Jekyll were nearly always present, or when they were absent there was at least one crewman. Tom could vaguely remember Jekyll telling some of the crewmen to take Tom back to the Nautilus. 

_So where are they? _Tom wondered. _How long have I been unconscious? _

He did his best to clean himself up, before changing back into his clothes. The movement left him dizzy and disoriented, but not nauseous. After a few seconds, he was able to stand and make his way out of the medical bays. 

He lost his footing in the doorway, and crashed to the ground. Tom tried hard to hold on to his consciousness, but it escaped his grasp and he fell into darkness. 

******************************

Tom didn't know how much time passed until he woke, and climbed to his feet. Blood ran down his face, and he wiped it away. A jagged cut ran across his forehead, but he didn't think it was deep. 

_Where are they? _he wondered again. 

"NEMO!" he yelled, starting to become truly concerned. "JEKYLL!" 

He ran through the corridors of the Nautilus, looking in all the rooms. Blood occasionally dripped from his cut, but he barely noticed. "SKINNER! MINA! … Anybody!" 

He had just checked Skinner's room, and had turned to continue down to the dining room when he heard a voice behind him : 

"Tom?" 

He whirled around, furious at himself for being caught unawares. However, as his eyes fell on the other person, he froze. 

For a long moment, they regarded each other, before Tom broke the silence. "I thought you never wanted to see me again," he said quietly, almost bitterly. 

"I was wrong," she admitted. 

"If I remember correctly," Tom continued, speaking over her, "your exact words were, 'Get out of my sight. You've betrayed me and everyone I care about. You've destroyed our friendship. I never want to see you again'." He cocked his head to one side, not caring that there were tears swelling in her eyes. "Now, did I misunderstand part of that?" 

"I'm sorry," she exclaimed. 

Tom shook his head. " 'Sorry' doesn't always work." He turned to go. 

"He's not dead!" she yelled. 

Tom stopped. "Who?" 

"Huck." 

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Author's Note: Please review and let me know what you think! 


	5. Return Of The League

Author's Note: Ai! Huck isn't dead!! Well, things are starting to get a little more complicated … sorry if I'm confusing anyone; I promise things will get more logical soon! 

Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers!! I promise individual shout-outs next chapter ;-) 

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CHAPTER 5 – Return of the League 

"Huck? Alive?" Tom's mind refused to accept this, refused to understand. "You're lying," he accused, taking refuge in denial. "He can't be." 

"Tom –" 

"He died in front of me," Tom yelled. "Are you telling me I imagined that? I imagined him bleeding to death?" 

"Tom please –" 

"I don't have time for this!" 

"_Tom!_" Becky Thatcher cried. "I am not lying to you. Huck is alive, and he is here in New York. I've seen him – he brought me here." She walked slowly towards him. "Please Tom. I'm telling you the truth. I don't know how it happened – he hasn't told me – but he sent me on board to find you, while he went to help the League." 

"The League!" Tom exclaimed, as the fog in his mind fled. "Where are they?" 

"Tom please calm down; you'll hurt yourself again," Becky begged. 

"Again?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Then … you knew … how?" His head spun. _What the hell is going on here? _

"I know what caused your collapse last night. Huck told me. He's been watching over you since you arrived in New York, you know." 

"What caused it?" Tom demanded. 

"I – I can't tell you," Becky said. "I'm not the right person. Huck will tell you when he arrives with the League." 

Tom clutched at the wall as dizziness threatened again to overwhelme him. "I'm sorry, Becky," he said. "This is all going too fast for me." 

Becky's face creased with concern. "Of course … I'm sorry Tom, I forgot. Come on; I'll explain it to you." 

She helped him to his cabin and sat him down. "How did you get on the Nautilus?" Tom asked. 

"The crewmen who came back with you were called out by a distress call from Nemo. The League was attacked by a group of half-men – you do know about half-men, don't you?" she asked nervously. 

"Yeah," Tom nodded. "And the Undead." 

Becky nodded, her face a little paler. "The crewmen answered the distress call immediately. As they departed, I boarded. I waited for you to wake, and watched over you while you slept. I locked up the Nautilus, and made sure that no one came aboard." 

"And … Huck?" He found it difficult to say; difficult to say it in the present tense. He was so – _used_ to the idea that Huck was dead. 

"He went to help the League. He has some power over the half-men – he can drive them away. The League should be back soon." 

Tom nodded, starting to get his head around what Becky was telling him. "When did you arrive?" 

"A few days ago." 

"Why didn't Huck come to see me?" Tom asked, keeping his voice casual to hide the pain he was feeling. 

Becky saw through the façade. "Tom, he wanted to. He couldn't. For the last few nights, he's been fighting the half-men. During the day, he's been tailing you and the League, and making sure no rogue half-men attacked you. He's been exhausted." A note of tenderness had crept into her voice, and Tom noticed it jealously. 

"He been taking care of you?" 

"Yes …" Becky's eyes widened as she realised what Tom meant. "He's like a brother to me," she protested. 

"Sure," Tom replied flatly. 

"Tom, don't you dare talk like that," Becky exclaimed. "Huck has always been a loyal friend to you. I know you feel betrayed because he didn't come to you himself, but I'm sure he has a very good reason. I have tried to make him talk to you, but he always said that the time wasn't right. Can't you just trust him, Tom? You and Huck are practically brothers." 

Tom looked up, surprised by the vehemence in Becky's words. 

"Huck has plenty of demons to fight already, Thomas Sawyer," Becky finished softly, "you don't need to add to them." 

They both looked up, startled, as they heard noises from elsewhere in the Nautilus. 

"It's the League," Tom whispered. "They're back." He grabbed Becky's hand. "Come on." 

He led her to the dining room, where they found Mina and Skinner. "Tom," said Mina, frowning a little as she saw Becky. 

"This is Rebecca Thatcher – Becky," Tom said, with a faint smile. "Mrs Wilhemina Harker, and Mr Rodney Skinner." 

"Gentleman thief," Skinner announced proudly. Becky started a little as she stared at the coat and hat that represented Skinner, but regained her equilibrium in time to shake Mina's hand. 

"Pleased to meet you," she said faintly. Nemo and Jekyll entered from behind Tom, and he introduced them quickly to Becky. 

"How did it go?" Tom asked. 

"We drove them away," Mina said succinctly. "They will stay away for at least a few more days." 

"We had a little help," Skinner said. Sawyer's eyes shot over to him, and he frowned a little. Becky squeezed his hand. 

"Who was this … this 'help'?" Tom asked nervously. 

"A young man –" 

"Called Huckleberry Finn," said a new voice from the doorway. Tom whirled around to face the familiar newcomer, who smiled at him. "Hey Tom," he said softly. "You miss me?" 

Tom's mouth fell open. "I … how … oh stuff it," he exclaimed, walking over to the other man, and hugging him. Huck laughed as he returned the hug. 

"That's a 'yes', I suppose?" 

Tom nodded as he released Huck. "Yes," he smiled, "it is a 'yes'." He shook his head in amazement. "becky told me, but … I didn't … I couldn't …" 

"Believe her?" Huck finished. "I understand. It must have been a little bit of a surprise for you, huh, cowboy?" 

Tom nodded wordlessly. A slight cough from behind him alerted him to the presence of the rest of the League. He turned quickly, embarassed at his show of affection. To his surprise the rest of the League looked almost as happy as he did. He could not read the thought passing through the head of every single one of them – it was the happiest they had ever seen Tom, and it delighted them to see their young American friend forget his burdens and embrace life and joy. 

Becky too smiled at the reunited friends. "What did I tell you, Tom?" she said, laughing. 

He shook his head. "Sorry." 

Becky shook her head. "I would have reacted exactly the same way," she confessed. 

"But that's no –" 

"Let it be," Becky said firmly. "Huck's back. That's all that matters." 

Tom nodded. "So," he said, talking loudly to hide the fact that he could feel tears forming in the corners of his eyes, "what happened out there?" 

"We were attacked by a group of half-men. We were able to hold them off, but could not make any headway against them until Mr Finn appeared," Mina stated. 

"I've learnt a few tricks," Huck said easily. "And – Tom?" He saw the tears in his friend's eyes, and put one arm around his shoulders. "What's up?" 

"I thought you were dead," Tom confessed. The rest of the League had the good sense to quietly leave the room at this point, and Becky followed them. They realised that Tom had some things he needed to say to Huck – privately. 

"Let it out," Huck urged gently. "What's up with you?" 

"I thought you were dead, and it was my fault," Tom sobbed, loosing control as Huck held him. "I thought I killed you. It was my fault!" 

"No … no, Tom, it wasn't your fault," Huck soothed. "It was the Fantom's fault. Not yours. You were the best friend I could ever hope for. You did everything you could. I don't blame you. I have never blamed you – because it was never your fault. You hear me? Never." He hugged Tom again as the tears kept falling. He realised that Tom had been carrying this guilt for years, this burden. He cursed himself again for his actions, for not telling Tom sooner. 

"Tom," he said carefully. "There's something I have to tell you." He waited until Tom got himself sufficiently under control before continuing: "It's about how I am still alive now. I owe it to you … I should have told you this years ago. I'm sorry Tom." 

Tom shook his head. "Nothing to be sorry for." 

Huck grinned. "Let's get Becky back." 

"Why?" Tom asked, taken off guard. "Not that I don't like her, or –" 

"I know. I think she deserves the truth too. She's done everything I've told her unquestioningly for the past month … it's time I stopped lying and stopped running." He went to the door, but found the corridor deserted. "Hello!" he called. After a few seconds, a crewman appeared. "Could you please bring Miss Thatcher here?" 

A few minutes later Becky walked nervously into the dining room. "Becky," Huck said with a smile. "I wanted you here because … I'm about to explain to Tom who it is that I am alive now, and I believe I owe you an explanation too." 

Becky nodded, and sat down. 

Huck cleared his throat, and began … 

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Author's Note: The next chapter will be basically all talk – and will probably set up most of the plot! Thanks for reading; please leave  areview :-) 


	6. Reliving The Nightmare

Author's Note: Here it is, the plot chapter!! Da-da! seriously This is the chapter where we get the explanation of Huck's past, and some indication of future events.

Apologies for lateness of posting … Real Life has been a little difficult recently.

Thanks to everyone who reviews!

Clez: Ahhh cliffhangers … well I did learn from the best ;-) You can be very cruel with your cliffhangers, you know!!

LOTRseer3350: My view was that Tom has been punishing himself for years about causing Huck's death … and suddenly he sees Huck again, and realises that Huck isn't dead … it's a lot for him to take in one hit. Anyway … thanks for reviewing!

Leigh S. Durron: Well, like you said, I can leave you like that … evil grin … but I promise not to again! … uncrosses fingers :p

Stormyronin: Thanks :-)

Funyun: Ahh, but who said I had to be fair?! … sorry, I know I'm cruel and twisted ;-) … thanks for reviewing!!

Bradleigh: Glad you like it …

Hosii-chan: I know, another cliffhanger … hangs head … you guys are almost making me feel sorry! … j/k ;-) Thanks for reviewing!

Chapter 6: Reliving the Nightmare

"Eight years ago …" He paused, smiling. "Sure doesn't seem it. You may remember I left town for a few months?"

Tom nodded. "Yeah … I remember. You went to Washington, didn't you? To visit your father after he left town?"

Huck swallowed. "Well … I did go to Washington, but when I got there I found out that my father was already dead. I decided – seeing as I'd never been up this way before – I'd go for a little bit of adventuring. I went further north, and ended up in New York. At the time … there was a rich French nobleman in town, visiting … sightseeing … and kidnapping. I was snatched off the streets one night and taken to an underground cavern four hour's drive outside of New York.

"I didn't know where I was, or what they wanted from me … as you can imagine, I was absolutely terrified. I was surrounded by a group of hooded men … and they definitely did _not_ intend good things for me." He swallowed again, and closed his eyes briefly. "I – I can't explain exactly what they did to me next. They cut me – one cut down each arm – and … I felt the most excruitiating pain – like I was being cut in two. I passed out quickly … when I woke I was weak and ill. I could hardly breathe properly … but I was alive.

"After a few minutes, I was able to remember what had happened to me. I got up and tried to flee, but they caught me very quickly, as I could barely walk. Then they told me … what they'd done … what I'd become."

Tom's jaw fell open as he began to realise what Huck was getting at. He shook his head violently. "No," he stammered. "But … no!"

"I'm one of the Undead, Tom," Huck said quietly. "I'm immortal."

Tom had his head down in his hands. Becky screamed and sprang to her feet, panicking and hyperventilating. Huck jumped up and tried to calm her.

"Becky – Becky please. Please calm down. Listen to me. Listen to my voice. It's all right," he murmured, soothing her. "It's all right." Gradually he eased her down into her seat and she calmed down a little, before tears slipped from her eyelids.

Huck sat back down, and looked away. "I'm sorry."

Tom looked back at him, angry. "Just when were you planning on telling me?" he demanded, incensed. "When?"

"Tom –"

"You know, at any stage, you could have said, 'Tom, I'm an immortal'. That would have been nice."

"I'm sorry, all right," Huck yelled. "I _couldn't_ tell you. I was frightened," he admitted suddenly. "After I recovered enough of my strength, I ran. I managed to escape them and get back to Missouri … back home. But … I was scared – of what I'd become. At first, I tried to tell myself it was a dream, or some kind of fantasy. It was all a massive joke. But then I realised that – I really was immortal.

"Have you ever wondered why the Secret Service recruited us so quickly?" He asked Tom. "You were a standout anyway, and then here I was, the Undead. Immortals make pretty good agents," he joked.

Tom shook his head, before forcing a smile. "Well, that would explain how you survived, I guess."

Huck nodded. "Yeah …"

Becky wiped her eyes. "What …?"

"You explain," Huck said to Tom. "Tell her what you saw."

Tom nodded. "We were chasing the Fantom," he began, forcing himself to remember, calling on the vivid memories that had haunted his dreams. "It was a rainy night …"

__

_Two figures stood in the shadows, waiting, watching. The rain poured down as they huddled back under the eaves of a building, watching the street. _

_Their quarry arrived in a black carriage. He climbed out, mask covering his face and obscuring his features. Tom nudged Huck, though it was hardly necessary – his friend had already slipped his gun from his belt and tensed, ready to move at a moment's notice. _

_They watched as the Fantom moved slowly into a house on the other side of the road, as the carriage moved off noisily into the shadows of the night. After waiting thirty seconds, Huck nodded at Tom, and they proceeded across the road towards the entrance. _

_Tom tried to listen at the door, but was unable to make out any sounds from within the building. Huck tapped his arm, then signed towards one of the windows high up on the wall. Tom judged the distance carefully, then nodded, and Huck began instantly to climb. He scaled the wall easily, slowing as he reached the window, and cautiously pushed his head above the sill. In a few seconds, he assessed the scene inside, before climbing back down the wall just as quietly and confidently as he had scaled it. _

_"Well?" _

_"We're gonna need back-up. There's gotta be at least thirty of them in there with him. And they have to come quick – looks like they're moving out." _

_Tom nodded, digesting this information. He quickly moved to the end of the street and set off a flare. It would quite possibly alert the Fantom to their presence, but it was their only option. He moved back to Huck, who had again scaled the wall. _

_"We're going in," Huck told him. _

_"What?" _

_"They're leaving now. We have to take him down." _

_Tom nodded. He clasped hands with Huck briefly. "Let's go get him." _

Tom paused, grimacing.

"What happened next?" Becky asked, caught up in the tale.

"Well," Huck said, taking over, "we went in, guns blazing. Didn't take us long to be pinned down though …"

_"So here I have you," drawled the Fantom. "At my mercy." _

_"We aren't alone," Tom told him fearlessly. _

_"You've sent your men away – now you only have one shot," Huck said. "Take us down and you die." _

_"And where is this – back up?" the Fantom asked condescendingly. "I don't see it anywhere …" _

_"That's the idea," Huck retorted. "You aren't meant to see them yet you know." _

_"Now why is it that I don't believe you?" _

_Huck shrugged. "Your funeral." _

_The Fantom rolled his eyes. "Well, if I only have one shot … I'd better make it count. Which of you is it to be?" _

_Tom swallowed harshly. "Me." _

_Huck shot him a look of surprise. "Tom no –" _

_"Shut up, Huck." _

_"Tom, you don't understand –" _

_"I understand all I need to. Don't shoot Huck." _

"I was trying to tell you," Huck said, rolling his eyes. "It had to be me – because I could survive it. You couldn't."

"Yeah, well I didn't exactly know about that at the time did I?"

_"Well," the Fantom said, looking at Huck, "it appears that your friend is willing to give up his life for you." _

_"Tom …" _

_"And I feel I should oblige." _

_Tom braced himself. This was right. This was the only thing he could do. He was unarmed and without a chance at escape – but he could save Huck. The backup had to be practically here – they would burst in upon hearing the shot and Huck would be fine. _

Huck would be fine … 

Tom shook his head. "After that … everything happened so fast. The Fantom moved to fire, and then …"

"I dived in front of you," Huck said, picking up where Tom had left off. "I knew it wouldn't – couldn't – kill me."

"Yeah, well I didn't," Tom retorted. "I thought you were dead."

"I know."

"So how did you survive?" Becky asked.

"Well, contary to popular opinion, getting shot in the chest even hurts for an Undead. The blood I was coughing wasn't fake. I really was in pain … I knew that I would be OK – I just needed time and a place to recuperate. I also knew that if I was believed dead, I could hunt down the man that Changed me in secrecy, and that it would be a lot easier."

"So you pretended to die …"

Huck nodded. "Yeah. I'm sorry."

Tom nodded to show his acceptance. It hurt that his best friend – hell, a man who was practically his brother – would shut him out like he had … but Tom understood why he had done it. That was what was important.

"So where to now?" Tom asked. "How do we get those guys who Changed you?"

Huck smiled inwardly. In those simple words, Tom had forgiven him.

Damn that felt good.

Author's Note: The next chapter will probably be another big 'talking' chapter … stay tuned!

Please review!


	7. Taken

Author's Note: Thanks again to my reviewers! It's appreciated … very much.

Apologies for the lateness in posting … I've got a few other things on my plate at the moment. I will try to update again soon …

Chapter 7:

"Well …" Huck began. "I'm afriad there's only one way to stop him. One of the Undead has to kill him – he's an Undead, you know?"

Tom nodded. "Yeah, Jekyll told us."

"As for his minions … they're all Half-Men. Same goes for them – they can only be killed by their own kind or by an Undead." He shook his head. "We have to lure them out."

"How?" Becky asked. There was a few seconds of silence.

"Get the rest of the League back in here," Tom ordered. "I'll explain it to them."

Huck nodded. "OK." He moved to the door and exited quickly. Within minutes he had returned, followed by the rest of the League.

"We've sorted a few things out," Tom explained. "The only thing you need to know is that Huck is an Undead, and that the man who Changed him is probably the same man who is orchestrating the attacks in New York."

Huck looked around at the League, seeing the shock on their faces but it was quickly replaced with calm acceptence.

"We need to lure them out," Huck explained. "I'm the only Undead here, so I'm the only one who can kill him. He'll be looking for more people to take to turn into Half-Men – that was what I was supposed to become. The people who actually Changed me … they aren't in league with him. They are a neutral force, but they can be turned to either side depending on what the fates tell them."

"Do you know where they are?" Nemo asked.

Huck shook his head. "No …"

"Then our hope must lie with the Half-Men in New York," Mina said.

"We have to lure them out with something … someone …"

"Someone?" Tom echoed incredulously.

"Yeah … it's the only way; they won't accept anything else." Huck shook his head. "I don't like it either, but there's nothing else we can do."

"And what if this person is taken? What if they try to Change this person?" Jekyll demanded.

"They won't …" Huck sighed, and shook his head, muttering, "This is going to take a while." He cleared his throat. "They will wait until the new moon appears. There is a powerful spell they are hoping to evoke. That gives us two weeks."

Tom nodded. "All right … but who's the bait?"

"They need someone else like me," Huck conceded wearily.

Tom opened his mouth to speak, but Becky beat him to it: "I'll do it," she said firmly.

"But – Becky!" Tom yelled, turning on her. "I won't let you; it's too dangerous."

"That's why you'll be there to protect me," she said simply. "You need to be with the rest of the League. It's all right … I'm not afraid."

"It is a sound plan," Mina said quietly. Tom turned furiously towards her, but then looked over the faces of the other members of the League, and realised that they all agreed with her. His eyes fell last on Huck, who simply shrugged.

"That's the way it goes, Tom," he said philosophically.

Tom nodded. "All right …"

"Then let's get ready," Becky said firmly.

Tom shoved his Colt pistols into their positions in his jacket. "This is _not_ going to work," he fumed.

Huck glanced up from where he was sitting on the bed loading his weapons. "You trying hard to be this pessamistic, or is it a natural thing?"

"Huck! This is too dangerous. Becky shouldn't be doing this."

"Tom, relax. We will be there; nothing will happen to her."

They left the room and walked to the dining room, where they met up with the other members of the League. Becky too was waiting there; she appeared nervous, but made a show of hiding it when the two agents entered.

"Becky – you ready?" Tom asked. She nodded. "Then let's go."

The League left the Nautilus first, followed by Becky. She walked in a different direction, and made out that she was going to visit a relative. The League followed at a discreet distance; Huck on the lookout for any signs of Half-Men.

Becky entered the library somewhat nervously. _Relax_, she told herself firmly, _this has been well planned. Nothing will go wrong. _

She walked casually between the rows of books, her mind and senses alert for any signs of trouble. Huck had told her plenty about these Half-Men : they could appear like 'normal' people, but transform into their true shape at a moment's notice; they were hard to differentiate until the moment of transformation. They would become taller, wider, stronger. Their skin would thicken to become a virtually unbreakable barrier. Any vestige of human thought would be shoved to the back of their minds, and their feral, animal instincts would take over – predators in the truest sense of the word.

A slight thrill of fear ran up her spine. _Relax, _she told herself again, _it's going to be fine. _

Tom shifted his grip on the Winchester rifle he clutched underneath his coat, and checked that it was loaded. Huck rolled his eyes; that made 42 times that Tom had checked this … not that Huck was counting, of course.

"I don't like it."

"I know."

"She shouldn't be involved."

"I understand."

"It's far too dangerous."

"She knows the risks."

"Damnit, Huck!" Tom exclaimed. The cold hard look in his best friend's eyes stopped any protests he was about to make.

"I know exactly what you're going to say Tom, but just listen to what _I've_ got to say. I know the risks – and I know them better than you. I've been through it, remember? But I still support this, because this is something worth fighting against; because if we don't fight then we will fall. There's no maybe about that." He sighed. "Come on. It's time for another patrol. You take the ground, I'll cover the roof."

He turned to go. Tom spoke quickly: "Huck?"

His friend turned to look back at him. Tom walked quickly over to him, and held out a hand.

"Sorry."

Huck smiled a little, and took the offered hand. "No need to be."

They turned away from each other, Tom walking towrds the ground level of the library and Huck towards the upper level. The League were stationed throughout the street and surrounding buildings.

Tom walked through the library, past shelf after shelf of books. He wondered fleetingly if anyone had actually read all of the books in the library.

All such thoughts were banished by a scream. Tom sprang into action, recognising the voice. _Becky … _

He fired a single shot in the air as a distress signal, knowing that the League would converge on the library instantly.

He rounded the corner, and momentarily froze. There were three of them; Half-Men, fully transformed. There was a patch of blood on the ground that Tom conjectured to be Becky's, but there was no sign of the girl, other than a handkerchief dropped on the ground a metre or two away.

Maybe there were other Half-Men out there, and they had already taken Becky, or maybe she had managed to escape …

Tom banished all conjectures from his mind as the Half-Men growled and approached him, a feral gleam in their eyes. He instantly raised his Winchester to shoulder level, aiming it without hesitation at the closest. His target grinned.

"Go on," it growled, "won't do you any good, but it will make things more – amusing." His tone was condescending, and set Tom's teeth on edge.

Tom remembered hopelessly what Huck had said – _Half-Men are the same – only other Half-Men or the Undead can kill them … _

_Huck, I could really use a little help right now,_ he thought as the Half-Men – undeterred by the bullet Tom fired at him – approached, his two companions in tow.

As if in answer to his prayers, a voice from the left said, "Now, now, boys." The tone was arrogant. Tom couldn't help grinning, however – that was Huck.

"Playing rough?" Huck enquired sardonically.

"You want to join in?" the leader of the Half-Men asked, an evil smile flitting over his features.

Huck smiled, drawing a sword from under his overcoat. _Damn, where did he pull that one from? Haven't seen it before … _Tom thought.

The sword was long, and thin. The handle was black, while the blade was silver, with intricate carvings down each side. Huck touched the flat of the blade to his head. "As a matter of fact," he drawled, "I do."

The Half-Men surveyed the weapon with true fear. The leader glanced towards Tom, who had taken a few steps back to ensure that he could not be used as a hostage, and now stood a metre to Huck's right. With a snarl, he moved away from the agents, the two other Half-Men following, regarding the blade with trepidation.

"Where's the girl?" Huck asked.

The leader smiled. "Gone."

Tom made to start forwards, but Huck planted a firm hand on his shoulder. "No, Tom."

The Half-Men, taking advantage of his preoccupation, made a dash for the door. Huck instantly pulled a dagger from his belt and hurled it after them, striking one in the back and bringing him to his knees. The others fled, giving little regard to their fallen companion.

Huck moved quickly over, jerking the dagger out and rolling the Half-Man onto his back. He motioned to Tom to stay back. "Where is the girl?" Huck asked, placing the tip of the blade at the Half-Man's throat.

With a sudden movement, his captive grabbed a knife from a secret pocket in his shirt, and plunged it into his own heart. Huck stepped back, watching as his adversary's eyes lost their shine and he died.

Huck bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Tom."

Tom shrugged. "So what next? They've got her."

Huck put a hand on his shoulder as the rest of the League trooped into the room, having failed in their quest to find the other Half-Men.

"We'll find her," Tom promised grimly. "No matter what."

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Please review!


	8. No Matter What

Author's Note: Here we are at Part 8!! Sorry for the long delay, but I've had a rough trot in RL recently … I had a huge backlog of school stuff to clear. But anyway, here I am, back again with Part 8! Hope you enjoy …

Thanks to Clez, Hoshii-Chan, bradleigh, LotRseer3350, and funyun for reviewing :-) You guys make my day! Sorry I don't have time to do individual responses at the moment, but I will do them for the next chapter …

Chapter 8: No Matter What

_"We'll find her. No matter what." _

That was easier said than done, as Tom was rapidly discovering. The Half-Men, it appeared, had vanished into a coach just outside the library doors, and Becky had been with them. The League had scoured the city, but to no avail. At length, the League – tired and footsore – retreated to the Nautilus to plan their next move.

Tom paced the dining room, impatient. "Look, while we are talking, they could be hurting her," he exclaimed.

Jekyll shook his head. "No, Tom. They won't change her until the full moon. The full moon of this month marks the end of the year for them … only one person can be Changed in a year, as the knife used requires about a full year to replentish its strength. If they Change her on the last day of the year, the knife will be at its strongest. She will be virtually invincible. They have gone to a lot of trouble to arrange this; they will not waste it all now." He patted Tom on the shoulder. "That gives us fourteen days to find her."

"Once we find her, we find the people who are behind this," Mina said. "We can break them once and for ever. We have to smoke them out."

"How?" Nemo asked.

Tom barely listened to the plan that Mina and Huck were discussing. He knew that it could never work in time. In his own mind, he was already forming the basis of his own plan. "Huck," he said suddenly, interrupting his friend in mid-sentence.

Huck frowned, mildly irritated. "What?"

"Do you remember where the Change took place for you?"

"No." Huck frowned again, now in confusion. "Tom …"

"If we can find that place, we can head them off, right?" Upon getting no immediate cries if disapproval, Tom continued. "So, Huck, we need you to try to remember as much as possible about what happened around the time you were Changed. It's probably near the city somewhere; so all we will need is a direction and we can find it." He got to his feet, pacing the room. "Huck, we need to know everything you can remember about it."

Huck nodded, still frowning. "Tom, what are you planning?"

Tom shook his head. "Nothing …"

Becky was frightened. She sat in a darkened room alone. She had attempted to force the lock on the door, but one of the guards in the corridor outside had noticed and had ordered her not to, waving a threatening fist under her nose. She had attempted to climb up to the window level, but had been unable to jump high enough. With a despondant sigh, she had settled on the floor, waiting.

She waited for a few hours before a low growl from one of her guards aroused her from the broken slumber that she had fallen into. She stared wide-eyed at the door as it swung open to reveal a well dressed man; unarmed except for a long sword that hung by his side. He smiled at her. "Miss Thatcher."

"Who – who are you?" she stammered.

He took a few steps towards her until he stood above her where she had squirmed backwards until she was trapped between the wall and the man. He bent down a little, eyes glittering. "My darling girl …" he whispered, running a cold hand down her cheek. She flinched away from him. He smiled.

"I am someone that you do not want to annoy," he told her, almost gently. Terror was plain in her eyes, and he laughed, patting her cheek again, before turning to leave.

"But – who are you? Where am I?" she screamed after him as the cell door slammed shut. His footsteps echoed against the rock walls as he walked away. She was left alone again in the dark.

Tom carefully placed down the cleaned pistol, and took up the other one. Since the meeting earlier in the day, Huck had been racking his brains for any kind of clue about the location of the caves where the Change had taken place. All they knew waws that it had taken four hours by carriage to get there, but Huck thought that the caves could be to the north.

Unknown to the rest of the League, Tom had worked out of a rough plan of where the caves could be. He placed down the second cleaned pistol as he reconsidered his plan. It could – would have to – work, he decided. It was sound enough, if a little rash … _but hell,_ he thought, _'rash' is my middle name! _

A knock on the door surprised him. "Come in!" he called, and seconds later Huck appeared in the open doorway. "Huck; is something wrong?"

"You tell me," Huck responded aggresively. "I've worked out what you're planning to do, Tom. Don't. Do. It."

Tom frowned, as if confused, but felt icy dread settle in his stomach. "What do you mean?" he asked, stalling for time as he got to his feet.

"You have no idea what it's like," Huck told him grimly. "The pain overwhelms you and when you think you can't take any more, suddenly it gets worse. Tom, you do not know what you are doing." He poked a finger into Tom's chest. "You say you want to save her – but you mustn't do this. You don't have the faintest idea what you are getting yourself into."

"It's my choice," Tom replied evenly. "Sorry Huck …" He lashed out, striking Huck on the jaw. His head snapped back and he fell to the ground. Tom quickly grabbed his pistols and stowed them in their holsters, then picked up his Winchester rifle. With a mumbled apology to Huck – who was still lying unconscious – he made his way out the door.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading – please review :-)


	9. Into The Twilight

Author's Note: Thanks for the responses to Chapter 8! Yes, Tom is being a little rash … but hey, I always got the impression that he could and would do many things 'off the cuff'. Apoligies for the length of time taken to update! RL, what can I say? And I lost my inspiration for the story at about the same time as my brother accidentally smashed my LXG DVD … but then Mum made him buy me a new one, so all was well :-)

Chapter 9: Into the twilight

Tom slipped quietly off the Nautilus and walked quickly away. He had only struck Huck hard enough to knock him out for a minute or two at most. He had to get away from the Nautilus before Huck raised the alarm, or the others would stop him. He couldn't afford that.

_This is the right thing to do … _he thought. _Hell, it's the _only_ thing I can do. Trying to force them to make a mistake is not going to work in time. They'll probably stay in hiding until the day that they are going to Change her. This will force their hand … _His optimism failed briefly, as he thought despairingly, _Please God let this work. _

_If it doesn't, I'm cactus. _

Bizarrely, the thought amused him, and he let out a brief laugh, before continuing on his way into the deepening shadows of the city.

Huck groaned slightly as he dragged himself up onto his elbows. _Tom … you idiot,_ he thoguht despairingly. _No matter what, you did _not_ have to do that. _

He dragged himself to his feet, then stumbled out into the hallway. He had to find the rest of the League, had to warn them … before Tom got too far away. He stumbled towards Jekyll's room, that being closest.

Beating at the door, he waited for Jekyll to answer. "Dr Jekyll!" he called, but there was no repsonse.

"Hey, something wrong?" asked a voice – unmistakeably Skinner's – from behind him.

Huck turned to see Skinner, clad in his usual black coat with white face paint. "It's Tom. He's – he's gone after the Undead on his own."

Skinner groaned. "Oh hell."

"Yep, that's about where he's headed," Huck replied, without a shread of humour.

"So where …"

"We'd better get after him. You go find the rest of the League. Get them outside the Nautilus in five minutes." Skinner nodded, and walked off quickly. Huck headed to his own room. He had a few things to retrieve before they left …

He knew by the chest at the foot of his bed and ripped it open, pulling out his sword and four throwing knives. Standing up, he buckled the sword onto his belt and stuck two of the knives in pouches attached to his belt. The other two he placed beneath his long coat that he had pulled on. He then hurried out to the front of the Nautilus, where he was not surprised to find the rest of the League already assembled.

"Skinner has already told us what has happened," Jekyll stated. "We are ready to leave." Huck nodded.

"Then let's go."

Nemo put a hand on his arm. "Mrs Harker?" he asked.

Mina nodded. "He went along that way …"

Tom moved quickly through the night. He had arranged for a horse to be left for him nearby to the Nautilus, and he was taking full advantage of his speed in order to get as far away from the League as possible. He did not doubt that they would catch him – but he had to make it to the caves first.

The ground was rough, now, as he rode through the countryside, leaving the road behind. Huck had estimated that the trip had taken him about four hours, but, Tom believed that it would only take about one hour cross-country.

Time flew by, until Tom found himself at the entrance to a man-made ravine, cut into a mountain. Cautiously, he dismounted. "Good boy," he murmured absently, patting the head of the horse, before attaching the reins to a nearby tree. He approached the mouth of the ravine with some tredipation.

The hoot of an owl from off to his right startled Tom; he took a moment to get his heart back under control before moving further forward. The heavy night air weighed on his spirits, and for a second, Tom considered turning back. Becky's face appeared in his mind even as he considered it, however, and he immediately continued on. He would not let her down.

The ravine closed about him as entered, taking him into its impeneterable blackness …

TBC …

Author's Note: Pathetically short, I know. I'm sorry! But I do have a clear idea where this is going now, so hopefully the next update won't take two months … cringes sorry again! Please review!


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